Realistic Children's Book Illustrator

I’m looking for a children’s book illustrator to help bring No Longer Lost my first childrens story book to life.

The story follows Zig and Lolo, two young aliens who become lost and accidentally crash-land on Earth. Far from home and unsure where they belong, their adventure eventually leads them to Daddy Bob and Popsy Jim, who give them something even better than finding their way back – a family.

At its heart, Zig & Lolo is a warm, fun story about family, adoption, belonging and the idea that families can come in all different shapes and forms.

The illustration style

I’m looking for artwork that feels:

• Warm, colourful and playful
• Soft and storybook-like
• Expressive and appealing to younger children
• Full of personality and little details children can discover
• Consistent across the entire book

Zig is a cheeky little blue alien with lots of personality, while Lolo is a sweet pink alien with a little sparkle. Their expressions and relationship are a big part of the story.

Daddy Bob has black hair, a beard and glasses, while Popsy Jim has brown hair and a warm, friendly appearance.

I want the characters to feel original and instantly recognisable, with the potential for Zig and Lolo's world to grow beyond this first story.

The project

The finished book is planned as a 24-page, 8.5 × 8.5 inch children's picture book, initially published through Amazon KDP.

I already have the story, characters and overall concept developed, but I'm looking for an illustrator who can bring their own creativity and ideas to the project rather than simply copying a rigid brief.

This is the first Zig & Lolo story, and if the right illustrator and working relationship comes along, I'd love the possibility of continuing to work together on future adventures.

I'm particularly interested in illustrators who enjoy creating wholesome, character-driven children's books and would genuinely enjoy helping develop the visual world of Zig and Lolo.

If this sounds like something you'd love to illustrate, I'd really like to see examples of your work and hear how you would imagine Zig & Lolo.